9. [at-Tawbah, Medina 113, 9H after Tabuk]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ قَاتِلُواْ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَكُم مِّنَ الْكُفَّارِ وَلِيَجِدُواْ فِيكُمْ غِلْظَةً...   

9:123. O ye who believe!

fight the unbelievers who gird you about, and let them find firmness in you;

C1374. When conflict becomes inevitable, the first thing is to clear our surroundings of all evil, for it is only evil that we can rightly fight. To evil we must put up a stout and stiff resistance.

Mealy-mouthed compromises are not right for soldiers of truth and righteousness. They are often a compound of cowardice, weariness, greed, and corruptibility.

... وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿١٢٣﴾  

and know that Allah is with those who fear Him.

Asad’s Version:

(9: 123) O you who have attained to faith! Fight against those deniers of the truth who are near you, and let them find you adamant; 1 " and know that God is with those who are conscious of Him.

Pickthall’s Version:

9: 123

Pickthall O ye who believe! Fight those of the disbelievers who are near to you, and let them find harshness in you, and know that Allah is with those who keep their duty (unto Him).

[[ Asad’s note - 163 I.e., uncompromising with regard to ethical principles. For the general circumstances in which war is permitted, see 2:190-194, 22:39, 60:8-9, and the corresponding notes, as well as notes 7 and 9 on verse 5 of this surah. The reference to "those deniers of the truth who are near you" may arise from the fact that only "those who are near" can be dangerous in a physical sense or, alternatively, that having come from afar - they have already approached the Muslim country with an aggressive intent. ]]